ITMWG 49

Chapter 49…

That’s not it!

What is this feeling…?

It’s weird. Suddenly feeling uneased, Nadia peeked through the curtains and looked out the window.

Altair and Orca are drinking tea together…!

In the garden! With the tea-time table spread out! Just the two of them! The tea time between the two was far from cordial. She could clearly feel it just by watching from afar. The air between them was so cold that Pavel, who was waiting them on the side, kept looking at the two with an uncomfortable expression.

What on earth are they doing?

If there’s something he wants to find out, he would do an investigation in secret.

In that case, the person who suggested this tea time must have been Prince Orca. Prince Orca was someone who was accustomed to leading conversations. He gained the other person’s favour through conversation, gathered important information based on that, and used it as a weapon to aim at his enemies. He sometimes spread rumours to his advantage to his interlocutors.

Is he planning to get something out of Altair? Or is he planning to use Altair to drive public opinion in his favour?

Or, like in the novel, he may be planning to lure Altair into becoming a villain comrade.

Right, that must be the case.

However, Nadia hoped that Altair would not become a fearsome villain like in the novel. Was it because she was afraid of dying in vain while staying by Altair’s side, who might turn into a villain? She guessed that’s the first reason. But through the time she had spent with Altair, other reasons arose. Altair’s life described in the novel was dark and lonely. For that, from the beginning, she just thought he was a gloomy and lonely person. However, the Altair she met when she came to Aylesford was neither a distressed nor a forlorn person. There were people who valued him, and there were also people whom he cherished.

What on earth happened that made him turn his back on all of this and become a fearsome villain?

If you can’t figure out the reason, it’s best to stay away from the culprit.

The most important thing was to reduce the contact between the two and not give Orca a chance to lure Altair.

Therefore, tea time like this…

As her will burned while she came up with her own plan, a sigh came from behind her.

“There you are, madame.”

Startled, she turned around to see Leon, the new owner of this space, looking at her while holding a pile of books. It seemed like there was a lot he wanted to say, but the words that came out of his mouth had been simplified.

“You said you would help me clean up, but you are actually hindering me.”

“Oh!”

Only then did Nadia realise that she was blocking the bookshelf right next to her. She hurriedly stepped back to make space, and reached for the books Leon was holding.

“We’ll do it together!”

“I’m good on my own.”

My arms are a little shaky, but…

It was easy. As she put the books on the shelf, she glanced at Leon. They brought Leon in with the promise of solid research support, and since they had to win his favour so that he would remain with them rather than Prince Orca, they would have to look after him in many ways. Perhaps sensing Nadia’s gaze, Leon asked her without stopping his hands from organising the books.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was wondering how you felt about returning to Aylesford. I said I would send someone to clean up the clinic with you, but you refused that too…”

Although he returned to Aylesford with the grand goal of developing a cold medicine, the distrust of Aylesford still lingered in his mind. Leon drew a clear line. He accepted the offer of a clinic and funding for research, but he refused all other help. This meant that he would reject all favours besides the investments.

I guess he’s less wary of me because I’m not from Aylesford.

The fact that she was a person who had nothing to do with the tragedy of the past seemed to have slightly broken down his wall.

“Well, I haven’t been able to properly look around Aylesford yet. But the atmosphere is quite different.”

“How different?”

“It’s much more lively than the Aylesford I remember. A long time ago, it was a quiet, simple estate.”

Leon’s eyes became distant for a moment as if he was reminiscing the past. Nadia didn’t want to disturb him, so she kept her mouth shut and focused on organising books in silence. It wasn’t long before Leon let out a small sigh and opened his mouth again.

“Even without your supervision, I will do it properly. Personal feelings and research are two separate things.”

“Pardon?”

“You don’t have to worry that I might not research properly due to personal feelings. So, from now on, you don’t have to come and help me like this.”

“I didn’t worry about that at all to begin with.”

Nadia couldn’t understand Leon’s words, so she blinked blankly at him, tilting her head to one side. Since she had already read the novel, she was well aware of Leon’s sense of responsibility and sincerity as a medical professional. If he wasn’t going to do his research properly due to his personal feelings, he wouldn’t have followed them back to Aylesford in the first place. While harbouring resentment over past events, he still chose to go to Aylesford for the reason of ‘research for all’.

This may have been due to Leon’s outstanding medical skills, but his personality also must have played a role.

I had a desire to gain Leon’s favour, but…

Did he think she had doubts about the research? Such things had not appeared in her head even once. In response to her reaction, Leon went silent. He, who had been staring at Nadia for a long while, as if trying to tell whether it was truth or lie, frowned with a somewhat confused look on his face.

“I can’t understand you.”

“Me? How so?”

Was there anyone who could be read as easily as her? It was not bragging, but she was not very good at hiding or forging emotions, so Nadia was quite puzzled by Leon’s remark. Once again, he sighed deeply as if even that reaction of hers was strange.

“People would usually doubt it. Even if it’s someone who has healed your injury.”

“Why should I suspect Leon?”

“You know the hostility I have toward the Baron. And yet you asked the Baron to invest significantly in my research. It’s normal to worry that they might have accepted it because they’re scheming something, or that they might waste all the research funds to get revenge.”

“Pardon? But Leon won’t do that.”

“Or is that really what you intend to do?!”

“Of course not!”

Leon also jumped and retorted. At that, Nadia heaved a sigh of relief and started moving her hands to organise the books again.

“Well, then what’s the problem? You just do what you’ve got to do. The same goes for me as well.”

“What I’ve got to do?”

“It is clear that Leon misunderstands the past, so I’m correcting that. If the research goes well and helps Aylesford’s reputation and wealth, that would be great. So, if you’re having any doubt because it seems like I’m just providing you with support without any expectations, you can clear it now.”

“Rather than doubt… I just don’t understand.”

As he continued speaking slowly, Leon, who was staring at Nadia, cleared his throat when their eyes met and turned his head.

“If you don’t understand, you don’t have to. I think time will solve everything anyway, just like how it would with the misunderstandings about our lord.”

“I wouldn’t say for sure.”

“Do I really have some kind of misunderstanding about the person who casually shares tea time with the prince because he wants to make connections with him?”

“That’s definitely not it at all!”

Angered, Nadia put the hand that was organising books on her waist and glared out the window. Leon’s eyes widened, perhaps because her reaction was much more extreme than expected. Nadia decided this misunderstanding had to be corrected immediately.

“The prince was the one who suggested having tea time first. The prince was clearly the one who wanted to make connections by enticing the other person. Look at them. Altair seems so troubled and doesn’t know what to do!”

Nadia awkwardly pointed at Altair, who was pouring tea, to press for agreement. However, Leon only frowned with uncertainty.

“The Baron looks very relaxed though.”

“What do you mean? The left corner of his mouth is subtly drooping.”

“What on earth …How do you know that?”

“How could I not know? Of course I do.”

Leon and Nadia blinked dumbfoundedly as if they couldn’t understand each other. Since Nadia was in no mood to make Leon understand, she sighed and clenched her fists.

“You’re going to save him? How?”

“I will completely block Prince Orca from tampering with Altair.”

She said whilst glaring at the sinister Orca.

“If he likes tea time that much, I will serve him tea every day! From tomorrow until the day he leaves Aylesford Castle, he won’t be allowed to even see Altair’s shadow. I’ll drag him all over the place!”

As she talked, a plan gradually formed in her head.

Right. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

Prince Orca’s intention was to lure Altair into becoming his ally, so if she wanted to prevent that, all she had to do was not give him a chance to lure Altair in the first place.

If the mistress wants to entertain the guests, there is no justification for refusing!

❈❈❈

While Nadia’s will started to burn…

“…”

Altair and Prince Orca sat across from each other in awkward silence.

“The tea leaves are the same.”

“Is that so. I see.”

Although the conversation did not continue at all, both Altair and Orca were thinking the exact same thing in their heads.

“Why on earth am I drinking tea with this guy?”